chris_ktf

Fair play singe. Thought you were replying to my post LJ is a enigma to me. He's great on one hand an utterly baffling on the other. He can pick a player, we got a fee for smith- an ill wager we get money for JCH an Dieng- in time. He doesn't take :censored:. He's improved players- Brown number 1 example. He can wheel an deal- locky, J Wilson. He talks sense, not well or charming a la Dickov, he talks sense. And yet, he won't play two strikers up front, in a side lacking goals at home. He routinely plays out an out strikers as wingers??????? He hasn't added a striker yet, but is keen to bring LLera in, when we've already got three cracking centre halfs already in IMO. As others have said, he won't give Winchester a run- yet he effects the game every time I see him play. At home we've no one anywhere near clinical enough to be 'hard to beat' but take one of a few chances in a game an grab your 1 -0. Away from home, different story- we are set up perfectly, less pressure, a draw is always a good result away from home. If we nick one, great. If not, we get a draw. I'd like us to play the style of those last ten games away from home. I think we'll do very well. But at home unless he gambles, and imposes us on the opposition- rather than us stopping them. then the idea we'll be better off points wise is fantasy to me. I don't expect Barcelona. I just want players in natural positions, a willingness to commit players in the final third. An (as daft as it sounds) the sense we are trying to win at home, instead of not losing.

Spot on. We're not hard to figure out. Home games will be a stalemate. Away side happy for a point. An us supposed happy just not get beat. I get why LJ is doing it. I really do. But I don't think we 're clinical enough to get enough wins to justify the vast majority of the football being hard to watch.

Eh? I went today. Stand looked great. Brown, Kelly, an Dayton played well. I'd like us to be much more attacking at home, an finish top half. I don't think we will sadly. Does that mean we're :censored:ed? Er, no. Think you an others like pigeon holeing people. Or moaning about perceived moaning. It's message board. Why does anyone have to have an agenda, instead of just an opinion.

All though I wouldn't be as doom an gloom as yard dog. He has a point. We are set exactly the same as those last ten games, hard to beat. We stop the opposition. Rather than imposing ourselves. Yes, yes, it's only pre season. . But the signs are there. Anyone who thinks we're going to any different to that is well wide of the mark IMO. I'll wager we don't score many at home this season. 1, he won't play two strikers a lot, 2, JCH while a rough diamond, isn't clinical enough. 3 he likes playing strikers on the wing. . . The point people are making about us progressing by being 'hard to beat' is irrelevant. Because your only as good as your strikers in this league, an if you can't score your 'one chance' or don't create a lot you won't win many. Having said all that, I do understand LJ position, we ain't got any money, we can't afford a really decent striker, so he's going with what he thinks will get us the most points on the budget we've got. I just don't think his style will bring anything more than lower mid table. Liked forte, thought Kelly played well. Dayton looked far more effective in the hole. Brown was class- at left back! Gros- er noooooooo!

Funny how quite are a few are coming up with alternatives- that you could interpret as very similar to 'keep the faith.' It's all much of muchness. People are saying, 'it's :censored:, it has no ambition' Er. . . . For the vast majority of time in our history we've been :censored:! With nothing else to keep us going than hope. That's not having a go at the good things going on at the club at the moment, but let's be honest we're a small club in division 3. It would be farcical an totally cringeworthy to have something that's pretending to be something we're not. That doesn't mean I want mediorcity for ever, I'm just realistic to who we are an what we could achieve- which for me 'keep the faith' fits perfectly.

I don't see it as pessimistic at all. On the contrary without hope of better days, why bother? I think of it as a tongue in cheek reminder not to let the vast majority of :censored:e we watch get you down. An the point about which division your in isn't important. Apart from a very select few, I think every club hopes an dreams of better times ahead.

Great news. Said when it was first mooted, the fact we're mixing it with Ashley an not trev's paper shop makes me feel a little bit big time again. The name sounds awful, but who cares!

Id agree with a lot of that; but I'll wager it already has become his style. Similar to Cotterill. Which of the two halves of last season was more successful points wise? I could be wrong, but I don't think we've signed anyone under 6ft in pre season. To me, he wants to pick up where he left off. Solid, organised, look to bully teams. I'm sure LJ would say he wants to attack an be positive, but privately I think realises we were a soft touch at the start of last year. As you say it's a balancing act. Do we try an entertain an finish bottom 8. Or make us hard to beat ( an poor to watch) an finish top half? We haven't got the budget IMO for style an top half. Hope I'm wrong, an he can find that balance; but I see a lot of the last ten games being served up this year. ( which if we finish top 10, won't be bad a thing)

Isn't LJ's style functional sly? It ain't exciting. Truly hope we're more positive this season, particulary at home.

I've said it so many times, the football since shez is largely very, very boring. I sit there most home games playing on my phone, taking the piss out of oppo bench/subs. It is very dull. I've never had blind loyalty, (total fair play to those that do because the club would fold without them) if it's particulary bad I give the next one or two a miss. Equally if they put in any kind of performance (not even result) I don't miss the next three. What do you want for your money? I just want get off my seat once or twice, as see us try an be positive. That's it. Unfortunately we very rarely even see that. I'll be there though come the start of the season. Quietly confident we can mount a challenge. . Until they inevitably sap my enthusiasm away.

Smith is a better footballer than wes. Wes had a better season than Smith. ( see end of season awards. ) Wes has got the security of a three year deal. Good luck to him. Neither of them are that good. Or they wouldn't play/played for us.

He scored more goals for a start.

Spot on.

So all in all a better player IMO.

I think it's fair comment to say grounds is a better defender, but mills isn't :censored: defensively, and for me he offers the team so much more; namely Set pieces, crossing, and genuine pace!

Spot on.

Great signing. Would have mills over grounds at LB any day of the week.

Top post. Totally agree.

The bigger picture is quite rosy. The fact remains we are so dull at home. Feel like I'm watching the same game on a loop. Competitive, resolute, but NO CUTTING EDGE. The subs he made were baffling. Of our 'front three' Thought JCH had a cracking game, but was so isolated he got no reward for his flicks, headers, an hold up play. Worral. Jury is out for me, think I saw one cross? Doesn't look like he can beat a man, but at the very least puts himself about. Harkins. . I'm sorry but I don't see him as a winger. Obviously very technically gifted. An he does try. ( which for his type of player, is a pleasant surprise) but he is so slow it's scary. He doesn't effect the game anywhere nearly enough. which for his technical ability is a crime. Quick wingers are what we need if he wants to play that system at home.

Agreed. He's our top scorer, an IMO our best finisher. Yet has played big chunks of the season on the left wing. Very, very strange from LJ. Especially with our lack of goals. Given a proper run up top I think he would have had 15+ this year. I'll be really miffed if he doesn't get a proper go in his preferred position next year. He's quality for our budget.

That sounds very familiar. I'm torn, Obviously pleased we've stayed up. We seem much more compact an resolute. An manky 1-0 away wins are always welcome. However for very large parts of the season the football has been very poor to watch. Genuine question. Is it impossible to compete playing the right way? It seems consecutive managers come in wanting to play. Panic after 15 games. An for the rest of their tenture we're subjected to a don't lose mentality. Instead imposing ourselves an trying to win a game. I accept that it's their job on line, an it's a results business. However it's not massive changes- play your top scorer in his preferred position. Play two up at home. Lots to forward to next year, but the style of play especially at home has got to change IMO.

As irrational as this may sound, it me makes feel like we're a little bit big time again. Chuffed for the club as a whole.

Yeah I thought JCH struggled. Not his fault. I don't agree about the 51 points though BP. We've played like that at home all season. Bar the odd performance. Dayton header, an Harris free kick. The only two bits of anything to remember yesterday.

Haha. Class.

Totally agree with that last point. If we were top six, but generally poor on the eye. No problem. But we've been bottom six for the most of the season, with uninspiring football at home. Not a good mix.